Meetings

The Society for Technical Communication offers a variety of services and activities for both new and experienced professionals in the field. From the international to local chapter level, STC membership provides a means of continuing professional development and expanding networking opportunities.

Mission
Membership
What Do Technical Communicators Do?
Annual Conference
Regional Conferences
Chapter Activities
Competitions
Employment Information
Special Interest Groups
Research Grants and Scholarships
Publications
Some History

Mission

The mission of the Society for Technical Communication is to improve the quality and effectiveness of technical communication for audiences worldwide.

Membership

STC currently has more than 15,000 members and over one hundred chapters worldwide. Members are technical communicators in a wide variety of disciplines: writers and editors; graphic artists and technical illustrators; managers and supervisors; educators and students; independent consultants and contractors; photographers and audiovisual specialists. There is no prerequisite for membership; all interested individuals, whatever their job title, are welcome to join the STC.

What Do Technical Communicators Do?

Technical communicators serve as the bridge between those who create ideas and those who use them. They must be able to convey scientific and technical information precisely, accurately, and clearly. Technical communication has become an important part of business and government, and jobs can be found in almost any sector. Today, technical writing is recognized as an increasingly essential occupation.

Annual Conference

The Annual Conference brings together more than 2,000 technical communicators from around the world for educational programs, seminars, and workshops conducted by experts in the field. The 50th Annual Conference will be held May 18-21, 2003, in Dallas, Texas.

Regional Conferences

International STC is composed of eight regions. Region 8 includes California, Nevada, Hawaii, New Zealand, the Republic of China, and Singapore. There are 20 chapters in Region 8, six of which are in Northern California: Berkeley, East Bay, North Bay, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Silicon Valley.

Region 8 Conferences are held when possible. Check the Region 8 conference website for more information.

Chapter Activities

Regularly scheduled chapter meetings allow members to exchange ideas and develop a professional network. Monthly chapter meetings in Northern California are held on different nights, so members may attend any or all of the five chapter meetings. Most chapters also publish newsletters at regular intervals.

Competitions

STC sponsors the International Technical Art, Publications, Online Communication, and Video Competitions. In addition, the Society bestows a variety of awards, including those for best journal article and best student-written article.

The Northern California chapters collaborate to sponsor the Touchstone Competition, which includes both printed and online submissions.

Employment Information

Many STC chapters provide self-help employment services and resources. Advertisements for positions appear in both national and local publications. The Society's job board system includes a nationwide list of available positions.

Special Interest Groups

STC members who have common experiences and interests share their skills and knowledge with others through Special Interest Groups (SIGs). If you're interested in forming a SIG on any topic, contact the Berkeley Chapter President.

STC SIGs at the international level include: Consulting and Independent Contracting; Education and Research; Emerging Technologies; Environmental, Safety, and Health Communication; Indexing; Information Design; International Technical Communication; Lone Writer; Management; Marketing Communication; Multimedia; Online Information; Policies and Procedures; Quality; Scientific Communication; Usability; and Visual Communication.

Among the activities sponsored by SIGs are publishing newsletters, conducting membership surveys, holding online meetings, and sponsoring live meetings at the STC Annual Conference and regional conferences.

Research Grants and Scholarships

STC offers scientific, literary, and educational grants to further the progress of technical communication. STC awards scholarships to full-time undergraduate and graduate students to encourage studies and promote growth in the profession.

Publications

Technical Communication. STC's highly acclaimed quarterly journal publishes thought-provoking articles on subjects of interest to all technical communicators.

Intercom. STC's newsletter, published ten times each year, contains timely professional articles as well as Society news.

Tieline. The monthly newsletter for chapter leaders offers advice and serves as an idea exchange for chapter officers.

STC Publications. Reference materials, manuals, anthologies, standards, and booklets help both novice and experienced technical communicators develop and expand their professional skills.

Some History

In 1953, two organizations concerned with improving the practice of technical communication were founded on the East Coast: the Society of Technical Writers, and the Association of Technical Writers and Editors. These organizations merged in 1957 to form the Society of Technical Writers and Editors.

In 1960, STWE merged with the Technical Publishing Society, which had been founded in 1954 on the West Coast. The merger produced the Society of Technical Writers and Publishers.